Home-Schooled Athletes Getting Mixed Reception

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The Williamson County School Board has voted against allowing home-schooled students to participate in sports on high school teams.

The Tennessean reports that board members discussed the topic for 45 minutes yesterday before voting 8-to-3 against allowing students outside of the county school system to join teams at their area high schools.

Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association spokesman Matthew Gillespie says the Association changed its rules to allow home-schooled students to participate in public school sports one full year ago.

“We do have some that have policies that don’t allow it and that the prerogative of that school system to do so. We’re not quite at half the school systems on board yet, but I think getting closer and that number will continue to rise.”

Among other systems here in Middle Tennessee, Metro Nashville Public School and Sumner County Schools allow home-schooled students in their teams, but Rutherford and Robertson County schools joined Williamson County in opting out.